Hypertension is often associated with additional risk factors for your health. It is able to provoke cardiovascular problems, up to heart attacks and strokes. High blood pressure is thought to be directly related to kidney problems, although they may become apparent only after a long while. Elevated blood pressure means additional load on your heart and potential damage to your blood vessels. Moreover, the higher blood pressure is, the graver the consequences may be.

In 90–95 percent of patients it is impossible to find out the exact cause of elevated blood pressure. Healthcare professionals refer to such a state as primary (or essential) hypertension. 75 million of people in America only have got diagnosed primary hypertension.

Although it is the most common problem with blood pressure, primary hypertension still requires additional research. By now, scientists think that essential hypertension is caused by a whole bunch of various factors including environmental and hereditary issues. If earlier high blood pressure was untypical for children and adolescents, now it is diagnosed even in young patients. The causes of it are usually unknown.

At least several of the reasons for growing blood pressure are already known. For now they include artery wall thickening (hypertrophy), hardened arteries (arteriosclerosis), contracted arterioles (small arteries). Good news is that effective treatment methods are also available, both natural and medical.

Affected by nerve impulses, arteries are widening (dilate) or narrowing (contract). Blood flows easily when they become larger, opening wide. The narrower blood vessels are, the higher the pressure inside them becomes. Such a state often results in elevated blood pressure. As we already know, this means additional strain on your heart and potential damage to your blood vessels. Damaged arteries fail to supply blood to kidneys and brain effectively.

When it is clear what the cause of high blood pressure is, we deal with the so called secondary hypertension. It can be brought on by hormonal disorders, kidney problems, aberrations of our main artery (or the aorta). Certain secondary arteries can also become the reason for secondary hypertension if they are constantly narrowed.

High blood pressure can occur from time to time only. Though temporary, frequent cases of elevated blood pressure are as dangerous for your heart, kidneys and arteries, as chronic hypertension is. Doctors also point out that constant stresses more often than not go hand in hand with harmful habits, including alcohol, cigarettes and unhealthy food. These factors additionally contribute to the risk of hypertension.

Consumption of salt is considered one of the most important risk factors for developing elevated blood pressure. People who take more than 5.8 g of salt each day are associated with high risk groups. With that in mind, it is obvious how much depends on our food habits and our lifestyle.

To complicate things further, symptoms of high blood pressure are usually vague and mild. As a rule, they are too non-specific to be associated with any concrete problem. They can include sickness, light-headedness, or commonplace headache.